Christian Hackenberg, a star high school senior quarterback from the Charlottesville, Va., area, verbally committed to Penn State on Wednesday. (Submitted)

York, PA -
First, the quarterback coach landed a nationally rated quarterback as his very first Penn State recruit.

Then, later on Wednesday, he got a big bonus.

Ohio cornerback Ross Douglas, a highly regarded four-star talent, said he will join the Nittany Lions, as well.

While Penn State certainly needs to fill an uneven roster with quality defensive backs, receiving a verbal commitment from a star quarterback like Virginia's Christian Hackenberg so early means even more.

Start with the new Penn State head coach.

Bill O'Brien was the former New England Patriots' offensive coordinator who also coached future Hall of Fame QB Tom Brady. That played heavy into Hackenberg's decision.

"We were able to sit there and watch film of Tom Brady and break it down," Hackenberg said. "He could tell me what went through Tom Brady's head at certain points, knowing what Tom Brady was going to do."

Family also made the early decision easier for Hackenberg, who plays for the prestigious Fork Union Military Academy. He lived in Tamaqua, Pa., until he was 7 and still has family members in the area.

His father, Erick Hackenberg, graduated from Marian High and went to the University of Virginia on a football scholarship before finishing his career at Division III Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove.

Erick Hackenberg was a quarterback, too. And a Penn State fan.

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"The fact that he can get in the car and in two hours get grandmother's cooking or be fishing with his grandfather is a nice benefit," Erick Hackenberg said. "It's kind of like he's going home in a sense."

And it's a great pickup for the new head coach.

Christian Hackenberg is rated as one of the top 200 overall prospects in the nation by Rivals.com and one of top 10 or 12 quarterbacks. His scholarship offer list includes Alabama, Florida and Tennessee.

He's 6-foot-4, 215 pounds and is known for a strong arm and some deceiving athleticism for his size. He also is a good enough hitter and center fielder and shortstop that he is gaining some Major League Baseball draft interest.

"He's a big, strong kid who is hard to tackle," said Mike Farrell, national recruiting expert with Rivals.com. "He's not the most mobile kid, but he can shuffle around and he's very smart. He has a cool demeanor about him. He's a leader and he doesn't get rattled and will take a hit.

"There's a lot to like about him."

Then, only a few hours later, the Lions received a commitment from Douglas, of Avon High west of Cleveland. The 5-11, 180 corner was impressed by a recent recruiting visit to Penn State and chose the Lions over offers from Tennessee, Boston College, Kentucky, Louisville, Syracuse and others.

"He's a very good athlete, a great get as well," Farrell said.

Now comes how O'Brien can capitalize on the momentum in his first recruiting class. Often, a big-name quarterback can help recruit others as well as anyone.

The next target could be Camp Hill's Adam Breneman -- the nation's top tight end and a lifelong Penn State fan.

"If their first (commitment) didn't come (until) June or was a two-star reach, people would say Penn State can't recover," Farrell said. "They still have to deal with Ohio State and Michigan, but this is a good springboard."